


synergy

by manhattanmatcha



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, Suicide mentions, Tendou Satori Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:07:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26075389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manhattanmatcha/pseuds/manhattanmatcha
Summary: you make him human. he makes you whole.
Relationships: Tendou Satori/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 68





	synergy

**Author's Note:**

> i do not own haikyuu. but i'm especially grateful for it on metaphorically rainy days like this, when i feel like i'm drowning. thanks to haikyuu for teaching me how to breathe.

The knife glints under the streetlamp as it kisses your neck. You can't see the actual knife, but you see the reflection of light jumping from one metallic surface to another: from the eyes of your assaulter to the rusted pipes running outside the building you currently face. This is a pretty stereotypical place to get jumped, you think-- the mouth of an alleyway that stinks of piss and is draped in shadow even during the day. You lift your head to look at the sky and the blade presses, a warning. "You stay still, missy," the man growls. "Or I'll make it so that you never speak again."

Then the world erupts into sound: a few streets back somebody is tumbling out of a car, a few shouts ring into the air: _At least wait for us to stop first, you bastard._ And in front of you, your boyfriend's face suddenly appears, eyes wide and panting. When he sees the compromised position you're in he goes rigid and his eyes go wild and before you can blink he has pulled out a gun. "You will die tonight," he breathes. 

"Oh, so the rumors were true," your assailant mocks. "Monster Prosecutor Satori DOES have someone he cherishes. You'd have thought it impossible, given that he has no heart. Even though--" he looks over at you, "--she's kinda average. Guess there's no accounting for taste--"

Quicker than a flash, Tendou Satori has dropped the gun, lunged forward, wrested the knife from the man's hand, and tackled him to the floor. He straddles the man's chest, points the tip to the man's throat. "You will say what you want about me, but nobody gets to speak dirty of my girlfriend. Least of all you. And for doing so, think of all the ways I can punish you..." He idly slides the tip of the knife in a line. You notice it doesn't draw blood.

"You put my brother in jail," the man struggles to move, but flinches when the blade presses into his neck again. "Last Tuesday, you put my brother in jail, and you smiled. He has 4 kids. A wife."

"Ahh, is this what this all is about! Haruhi Morisake. A wife, you say?" Tendou smiles, even though his voice runs ice cold. "Then what was he doing assaulting teenage girls? Girls that are the age of his youngest daughter? We have 5 solid accounts of rape, not to mention countless testimonies of attempted rape and acts of unwelcome sexual behavior. Countless."

"You bastard," the man wheezes. "They don't know any better, they don't know whether they would like it or not, he was just giving them an experience--"

"--and you're just giving me proof," Tendou says casually, "that being trash really runs in the blood. You will die tonight. For touching my girl. Speaking all the shit that actually came out of your mouth wasn't enough? You actually dared bring a blade to my girl's neck? Hey, this blade is pretty new, huh? You bought it just for this occasion? Oh, what's this? Blood? It's not yours, 'cuz it's not black." His pupils are completely black now. "You drew blood. You actually--"

"Please forgive me!" the man is crying now. "Please let me go! I swear to god I'll never say anything again! I can't die! Please don't kill me! I--" Tendou snarls. "It's a little too late for that," and your boyfriend positions the knife at the jugular.

"Tendou Satori," you say.

He starts. The hand holding the knife slacks. The man under him is pleading you with his eyes. You ignore him and focus on your wild haired boyfriend. "Tendou Satori," you say again, not scolding him, but chiding him. "Tendou Satori." You say for the third time, and your voice breaks. He looks a little guilty, a little chastened, a lot scared, a lot relieved. "Thank you for being here." You close your eyes and sag against the wall.

You hear footsteps, and then voices. Tendou's voice: "I want this bastard in jail. I'll put him there myself."

"You got it, boss. But that might be difficult, because you're technically a witness--"

"--We'll work it out. Get him out of my sight before I change my mind about becoming a murderer."

Then you're lifted up in the air. Someone who smells like your favorite strawberry body wash is carrying you princess style. You lean your head against his chest, and it's heaving. Drops of salty water fall onto your face, you catch one with your tongue. It sound like it's raining, but when you concentrate on the sound, you realize it's just your boyfriend whispering: _I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'msosorryI'msosorryI'msosorry._

"Yeah, you better be," you mumble. "That body wash is _expensive._ " Then you drift into a comforting unconsciousness.

When you come to you're tucked in a hospital bed. You can tell even before opening your eyes because the smell of antiseptic is so strong. The first thing you see is a familiar red head sleeping on a chair. As if he can feel your gaze, he opens his eyes. You smile as he rushes to your side. "Are you okay, baby? They said that you were okay, but they don't know how severe it was. You were literally--"

"Tendou," you say.

"--nobody should ever have to go through that shit. That man is getting at most 10 years, they said, but I am positive I can push it to 25. I don't care what it takes, I'll do it--"

"Tendou Satori--"

"--you can break up with me if you want. I deserve it. I am the world's most shittiest--"

"NO!" you shout. He stops, stunned. "Sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice. But I _don't_ want to break up with you. I'm never breaking up with you! _"_

"Thank God," your boyfriend's entire frame sags, and he speaks in whispers. You note the bags around his eyes. "I know the bigger and better thing is to show you the ways in which I don't deserve you, but I am not good enough at denying myself living necessities. Just let me tell you that I am--"

"Baby," you say gently. "You're not a monster. Yesterday, you held a knife to a man's throat, and you didn't draw blood."

"I was going to kill him. I swear I was going to carve out his throat. But then... y- you... you spoke..." he collapses into your open arms. You ease some of the burden he's been carrying onto your own shoulders. "It's okay," you murmur as your shoulder is soaked with soundless tears. "It's okay. I'm here."

* * *

 _I'm fired._ The words ring in your ears as you count the pills methodically, like you're back in primary school and learning how to use an abacus. _It's such a bother. I can't keep going around making the same mistakes all the time._

It's not just getting laid off from another simple job that you managed to screw up, you know. It's just been a tough week, a tough month, a tough year. _I'd rather not live._

 _Maybe you shouldn't_ , a treacherous voice in your head whispers, getting louder by the minute.

 _Yeah,_ you agree, looking at the white capsules in your hand. How many would do the job? you wonder idly. These are expired, so probably 3 or 4 will work. In your mind, you feel slightly sorry to your friends and parents, and even to your ex boss, who might feel responsibility. Then again, he is heartless, so he probably won't. You turn to the nightstand for your glass of water and knock over a picture of you and Tendou. 

It's like a slap to your face. _Oh, God. I can't leave. Tendou would be alone._

Then you realized something else, and that single thought has you sitting in the same pose for what feels like a hundred hours until someone quietly opens the bedroom door. He takes in the pills in your hand, your contemplative expression, the water on the nightstand, and strides over.

"(Name)."

You turn to look at him. He stalks across the room to stand in front of you.

"Talk to me?" his voice breaks.

"I didn't take any," you whisper.

"Please. Please be honest."

""I didn't take any," you repeat. "I was going to, and then I thought of _you_ , and then I couldn't move." You tell him what you've been thinking: _you saved me. You're my reason to live. Until now, I hadn't even known I wanted to be saved. "_ You saved me. Without even being in front of me."

When he looks at you you wonder how anyone in their right mind could have called him a monster, ever. He looks so fragile, like he'll snap if you press too hard. "I need you to be here. I always need you."

"I need you too."

"Not in the way I need you. Not as much as I need you. You make me _human_."

"And you make me whole," you tell him as he leans down and you rise to meet his lips halfway, arms coming around his neck. _Ah,_ you think. _This feels right._


End file.
